World XC Championships Japanese Results

In the absence of a full Ethiopian U20 contingent after visa issues, the U20 women's squad led the way for the Japanese team at this year's World Cross Country Championships with a team bronze medal. Yui Onotora had the best individual Japanese placing across any of the day's races at 14th to lead Japan's U20 women, with scoring members Wakana Fukuyama, Mona Utsunomiya and Mei Hosomi all making the top 30. But with Ethiopian women going 1-2-5 they would surely have knocked Japan out of the medals if they'd been able to field a full team.

Led by Haruki Niizuma in 15th, the U20 men had the next-best Japanese team placing at 6th, although they also benefitted by one place from the lack of a full Ethiopian team. Junsei Murakami was the only other Japanese runner in the race to make top 30, finishing 21st.

The mixed relay team of Takumi Shiobara, Yuzu Nishide, Kiyoto Ono and Momoa Yamada was 10th out of 15, while the senior men took 12th led by Ryuto Igawa in 51st. Only 3 Japanese women ran in the senior women's race, not enough to score in team results, with Wakana Itsuki the top placer at 48th.

World Athletics Cross Country Championships

Tallahassee, U.S.A., 10 Jan. 2026

complete results

Mixed Relay

1. Australia - 22:23

2. France - 22:26

3. Ethiopia - 22:34

-----

10. Japan - 24:08

U20 Women

1. Marta Alemayo (Ethiopia) - 18:52

2. Wosane Asefa (Ethiopia) - 19:18

3. Charity Cherop (Uganda) - 19:19

-----

14. Yui Onotora (Japan) - 20:25

22. Wakana Fukuyama (Japan) - 20:56

25. Mona Utsunomiya (Japan) - 21:03

26. Mei Hosomi (Japan) - 21:04

29. Michi Kawanishi (Japan) - 21:18

31. Airi Mashiba (Japan) - 21:20

Team

1. Uganda - 29

2. Kenya - 29

3. Japan - 87

U20 Men

1. Frankline Kibet (Kenya) - 23:18

2. Emmanuel Kiprono (Kenya) - 23:20

3. Andrew Kiptoo Alamisi (Kenya) - 23:28

-----

15. Haruki Niizuma (Japan) - 24:31

21. Junsei Murakami (Japan) - 25:17

31. Ojiro Honda (Japan) - 25:52

46. Kota Tamura (Japan) - 26:26

DNF - Rikuto Ikeya (Japan)

DNF - Kain Inagaki (Japan)

Team

1. Kenya - 10

2. Uganda - 31

3. U.S.A. - 75

-----

6. Japan - 113

Senior Women

1. Agnes Jebet Ngetich (Kenya) - 31:28

2. Joy Cheptoyek (Uganda) - 32:10

3. Senayet Getachew (Ethiopia) - 32:13

-----

48. Wakana Itsuki (Japan) - 35:57

53. Momoka Kawaguchi (Japan) - 36:21

60. Sora Shinozakura (Japan) - 37:10

Team

1. Ethiopia - 19

2. Kenya - 36

3. Uganda - 37

Senior Men

1. Jacob Kiplimo (Uganda) - 28:18

2. Berihu Aregawi (Ethiopia) - 28:36

3. Daniel Simiu Ebenyo (Kenya) - 28:45

-----

51. Ryuto Igawa (Japan) - 31:13

52. Yuma Shimoo (Japan) - 31:14

62. Hiroto Yoshioka (Japan) - 31:39

77. Daiki Ozawa (Japan) - 32:44

Team

1. Ethiopia - 30

2. Kenya - 34

3. Uganda - 39

-----

12. Japan - 242

Kobe Marathon Elite Field

Sunday's Kobe Marathon has announced its elite fields, finally. Japanese athletes have a shot at qualifying for next fall's MGC Race, the official trials race for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, if they go sub-2:27 for the first Japanese woman across the line or sub-2:09 for the first 3 Japanese men to do it. There aren't a lot of contenders to pull it off. On the women's side, Kaede Hagitani , Ayaka Shimoyamada and Kotomi Tsubokura all ran 2:31-32 PBs in the spring and will need to step it up a couple of notches to get there. 2:23 Kenyan Antonina Kwambai is perfectly positioned to help. On the men's side, Keijiro Mogi is closest with a 2:09:06 at last year's Beppu-Oita Mainichi Marathon, Hiroto Kanamori his closest domestic competition with a 2:10:01 PB in Osaka in February. The international trio of last year's winner Barnaba Kipkoech , Elisha Rotich and Goitom Kifle all have recent 2:06-7 times and should help set it up for someone to get there, wh...

Kenyan Graduate Student Athlete Posts Job Hunt for Ekiden Team on Twitter

A Kenyan runner who had tried to help lead his team to the Hakone Ekiden has taken an unusual approach to finding a post-graduation sponsor. Last week Patrick Kamau posted his job hunt on his Twitter account , saying, "I am looking for a club team or a corporate team where I can run in ekidens. I would be happy to run for any team that gave me a chance. I would be grateful for any opportunity and take it on with a positive attitude!" Kamau was 5th at the Hakone Ekiden Yosenkai qualifying race half marathon in 1:01:10 last year during his 4th year at Jobu University . But despite his efforts, Jobu never qualified for Hakone during his 4 years there. He is currently working on a graduate degree while looking for "a team that will let me continue my competitive career." Fans responded to Kamau's job search posting, saying, "I hope it works out for you!" "Good luck comes to those who work hard" and "Kamau is going to graduate school? Given...

Hofu Yomiuri Marathon Elite Field (updated)

Another big race on the MGC qualifying calendar has posted its elite fields, the Dec. 6 Hofu Yomiuri Marathon . It looks like a good race for the single MGC spot up for women under 2:27, and the 6 spots for men sub-2:09. Yuka Ando is the favorite in the women's race with a 2:21:18 in Nagoya 2 years ago, with her only real competition coming from Ayumi Morita , who broke 2:27 in Hofu last year but missed qualifying by not being the first Japanese woman across the line. CR holder Workneh Derese is back after his 2:06:58 win last year, leading Kenyan veteran Bedan Karoki and 4 Japanese men with a solid chance at sub-2:09, Tatsuya Maruyama , Ryoma Takeuchi , Shuho Dairokuno and Kento Nishi . Takeuchi set his 2:08:20 PB at Gold Coast in July, and Dairokuno is fresh off a great run at the final Kyushu Corporate Ekiden. Masatoshi Sakata , Yota Ifuku , Madoka Tanihara and Daiji Kawai have both come close to sub-2:09 in recent races and could factor in. 57th Hofu Yomiuri Marathon Elite...

japan running news

Search This Blog